The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-04
4 TALK WITH COL. NICOLAY
Many Interesting Incidents Not In
cluded in the Lincoln History.
How Uncle Abe" Bore Himself During the
the Great National Campaign of 1S60-His
Public Receptions at the White House.
gpecial to the IndianapoIis Journal.

special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dec. 3.--The two AIneri-
can authors whose work at this moment is attract
ing most attention are probably John G. Nico-
lay and John Hay. Some people dissent from
he conclusions they arrive at, and demonstrate
against the portraits they draw, but it will not
Be denied that they are furnishing to the Cen
tury its most valuable pages Both of the men
live in Washington where the career of Mr..
Lincoln eliminated, and here they are writing
their historical biography.
1t occurred to me this week that they might
be willing to give letter writer some interest
ing points about Mr.. Lincoln which would not
properly and naturally find place in a grave
record of his time. and Invent around the corner
and called on Colonel Nicolay to this end. He
lives IL the house which he recently bought on
r street, substantial and comfortable brick
building approached by steps running up the
front parallel with the sidewalk
found the Colonel in his spacious literary
workshop, on the second floor, surrounded by
manuscript but not submerged, for there
methodical arrangement in the grouping that
Indicated that things were IN their place. The
historian weighs just about as much as he did
twenty-five years ago-say 120-and, though his
abundant beard, and hair and eyebrows are now
=
1.-THE. straight form, and alert movement that
ae had when in war times he used to appear at
.he front door of the Senate. and the proceed
rgz were in terrupted with the ringing announce
nent, "A message from the President of the
United States9
>isolay is German born on the west bank
Of the beautiful Rhine, between Mayenco and
strasburg. His father, German peasant, own
Inc = few acres Of Bavarian sod. sold out in the
hard year Of 1887 and brought his five children
to this country. the youngest, John, being then
a lad of re. They settled IN Cincinnati, whence.
after time, they moved to Indiana. then to
Missouri. and last to Illinois Here the father
died, and young Nieolay, at fourteen, was
thrown on his own strength and skill for a liv-
ms. He served year in country store at ST
month. then secured the position Of diabolical
adjunct IN a printing Office. He went first to
the broom, then TO the roller, then to the case
then 70 the desk. aud beginning devil be-
came editor and proprietor. Afterwards. while
reading law, he became clerk in the Office of
Secretary Of State of Illinois. and there. in
1887, among the politicians and story-tellers
gathered around the roaring log fire, he first
maze the acquaintance of Abraham Lincoln.
There. too. without suspicion OF lincolns
e1iAllg fame, he began that very year TO make
serai-boOks containing authentic record of
Tie growth OF events of which the tall, gaunt,
popular lawyer was soon to be the central figure
Colonel Sicoay took FROM a shelf and showed
ne some Of these thirty year-old scrap books,
which he now hnds Indispensable. Hay and /
made collections tor scrap books, also" said he,
az TIE time that we were IN the White House."
And he proGnced one Of these, marked upon the
back, Vol XXXYfIL"
told the Colonel that had been trying in
vain to find out from the text which chapters he
and Hay wrote, respectively. He laughed and
I&la It was eonundrGIn hardly worth guessing;
~ ~ not work the chapter but wrote
.s-HeFent parts Of the book, one sometimes writ
4ag several chapters eonsecutively.
=. The first time / saw Mr. Lincoln" said Mr.
t'iooiay. WIS IN Pittsfeld, Ill. where I was